Belinda, since you have information on the webpage about Gov. Harvey Parnell, from Cleveland Co., I thought everyone might enjoy this article. It appeared in the Warren Eagle Dem., but I don't have a date for it. It was in the 1940's sometime, and written by the editor, DuVal Purkins: Thinking of the kindly, modest and candid, Harvey Parnell, I am reminded of an experience he related to Mr. Noel Martin and myself some years ago while he was serving in the Senate from Ashley and Chicot Counties. We were riding on the train from Warren to Dermott. In his characteristic witty way, he told how he had campaigned for election. He said, "Noel, I heard there was going to be a graveyard cleaning near Fountain Hill in Ashley County. I didn't know anybody over there. So, I decided I would go. When I got there, I saw lots of folks had gathered with tools to clean off their family plots before noon-time when dinner was to be served. I looked around to find the biggest lot in the grave-yard and the biggest family at work. I spied an old lady, directing a whole crowd of young men of voting age. I strolled over to her and introduced myself--all the while noticing the many tombstones with the same family name, and thinking to myself, 'This must be one of the biggest families in this section'--I told her I would like to help. The old lady called to the biggest and healthiest man at work, and said: 'Joe, give this gentleman your hoe, he wants to help.' I grabbed the hoe and went to work. Pretty soon, I noticed the old lady was spending all of her time directing me what to do, and the others, had gradually drifted away. I worked and perspired, my back began to hurt, and, I thought they would never call for dinner-time. The old lady had sat down and kept telling me to cut here, or cut there, or move this rubbish or that rubbish. There was a time when I thought I was going to have to give up, but then, I would begin to think how many votes I might expect out of that big family on election day. "Finally, to my relief, dinner came, and I laid down my hoe with a sigh of relief. It then occurred to me, I had better get acquainted with the old lady and all of the members of her big family. "So, I said, I'm Harvey Parnell. I live in Chicot county. I am candidate for nomination as State Senator. Your must have lots of kinfolks in this county." "I almost fainted, when the old lady replied: "No, mister, there aint a chick nor a child of our family left in these parts. They's all dead, except me and my six sons and their families, and we live in Mississippi. We just visits over here once a year for grave-yard cleaning." __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Kick off your party with Yahoo! Invites. http://invites.yahoo.com/